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Filtering by Category: Celebration

SPOTLIGHT ON: RAJAN MISTRY

Mez Joseph

Spotlight On is a Liollio tradition of interviewing team members to highlight and celebrate them - and to get to know them better as individuals. After a hiatus of Spotlight On Q&A sessions, we are finally returning to form and highlighting Rajan Mistry as our July Spotlight On feature. Raj became a welcome addition to the Liollio studio in 2021 as Contract Administrator. He is a graduate of the New School of Architecture & Design in San Diego. He has a history of construction contract administration and project management from the perspective of the owner, contractor, and architect.

Where did you grow up? Ndola, Zambia – it’s a small copper-mining town close to the Congolese border, and had a great childhood there.

Are you married? Do you have children? Neither

What do you like to do for fun? I love being outside, so it would either be cycling, dog-walking, golfing or hashing.

Do you have pets? If so, tell us a bit about them. I have a Shepherd-Husky mix, named Shaki, and she is an awesome dog. She looks like a German-Shepherd but has gorgeous ice-blue eyes. She has just enough German-Shepherd in her to be obedient, and just enough Husky in her to be independent and love a good run around. Interesting fact about her; she doesn’t bark at all!

Favorite place(s) to go locally? Golf Courses & Breweries

Favorite restaurant? I don’t know if it’s my favorite restaurant, but I love going to Jamaican restaurants and go there most frequently.

Favorite food? Ethiopian and Japanese

Least favorite food? Any food that is a greasy mess and impossible to eat without destroying my beard.

Do you play any instruments? I play the guitar, sitar, and a bit of bass/piano as well.

What song is at the top of your most played list? It’s either going to be Chronixx (reggae & dancehall) or some vocal Drum ‘n Bass mixes.

Favorite musical artist or genre? House Music

Favorite television show? I don’t really watch TV – life itself is sufficiently surreal…

 Last book you read? It was probably a Harvard Business Review.

Favorite book? Bhagavad Gita

Favorite author? Jon Klassen writes awesome children’s books, and I highly recommend you investigate them and buy them all for your kids.

Favorite podcast or blog? The Peter Schiff Show – it is primarily an economics podcast, but he also discusses news stories and geopolitics.

Favorite movie or genre? I love a good laugh, so comedy is always high on my list, but it may have to be The Matrix.

Last movie you watched? It was a kids’ movie with my little niece and nephew. There were some magic dragons and I think it was called Raya.

Favorite place you have traveled to and why? Mexico – I have been to 8 Mexican states and have had a great time every visit. You get high-quality goods/services, excellent prices, and the people are all wonderful.

Favorite style of architecture? I do not have a preference. I believe that good design is independent of stylistic choice. Just like how one can have great and terrible movies or songs of a genre, so too can architecture of a style be great and terrible.

What building have you visited that most impressed or inspired you? The Salk Institute – the look and feel of the building, especially with its layout amongst the ocean and vegetation is great. The way the building systems were managed and long-term modifications planned for was extremely insightful.

What would the book or movie about your life be called? Let’s See What Happens

Who would play you in a movie about your life? Like Tyler Perry, I would love to play absolutely everyone, including myself, in the movie.

If you could be any animal, what would you be and why? I was once told by one of my primary school teachers that I was like a hummingbird. Very curious, very active and constantly moving around and engaging with things.

Are you messy or organized? Organized. There are two types of people; Leavers and Putters, and you find that out when you ask them where something is. Some people will say, “where I put it,” and some people will say, “where I left it.”

What’s your pet peeve? Mispronunciation of the word nuclear as nuculer, and the disastrous misuse of the apostrophe.

Guilty pleasure? I’m a sucker for sweet things, and every once in a while, I like to drive fast.

Tell us a random fact. Biologically, there is no such thing as a fish.

Favorite quote? “Rule #1: Work your Butt Off. Rule #2: Break the Rules.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be? Peter Schiff

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see? I would love to see timelapses of ancient construction feats. Too many people tell me they were built by aliens, and discredit sheer manpower.

If your house was burning down, what is the one nonliving thing you would save? My laptop

What three traits characterize you? Intelligent, Playful and Wacky

What’s your astrological sign? Leo – and I would say I am very much the stereotypical Leo.

What is your personal philosophy? Generally, that things fall into place in life. Despite the rollercoaster of life, ride the waves out with a positive attitude – they are temporary – and you will keep the whole thing moving forward.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? Outside space

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? I have had many difficult projects, with difficult project teams and difficult bosses. But interestingly, I love a challenge and the constraints that come along with it. It certainly increases the value in your heart when the job is over and done.

What inspires you most? Being at home, coming up with ideas on things to build and how to build them. I am always walking around my house and yard, scheming.

What accomplishment are you most proud of? There are many accomplishments that I am proud of, but none would be categorized as the one I’m most proud of. I have been told that I have beautiful handwriting, so maybe that!

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio? Liollio has an awesome team of people; hard-working, social and with great communication. I have high hopes that we have many more years of excellent work output for this city, state and region.

What does true leadership mean to you? There are many attributes that constitute good leadership, and all of them are vitally important, but I won’t be listing them all out in this answer. Two of the most important are trust and approachability.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be? A crane operator or possibly some sort of earth-moving equipment. Basically a giant toy that a 3 year-old boy would play with.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13? I wouldn’t have anything specific to tell myself, but I would love to teach myself projection-planning.

How do you define success? Adequately planning for everything to go well, not being irritated by things not going well, and dragging things to the finish line nonetheless.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. I write calligraphic poetry art-pieces and they are currently being featured at the Mary Martin Art Gallery on King & Broad.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? If you show up ten minutes early, you’re already twenty minutes late.

Dorchester County Ashley River Park Ribbon Cutting & Grand Opening

Mez Joseph

Dorchester County’s Ashley River Park officially opens to the public this Saturday, March 19th! The park features many amenities and recreation activities for visitors of all ages - walking trails, a fishing pier, a dog park, interactive play fountain, an event pavilion, picnic shelters, a playground, open lawns, a restroom building, an outfitters building and a gatehouse. We are honored to have been part of the design team for this exciting project and hope that it’s a great community asset for years to come! 

Ashley River Park is located near the beautiful scenic side of the Ashley River off of Bacon's Bridge Road. The park is open from dawn to dusk daily. For a complete list of Park Rules click here.

Liollio Architecture Elevates Daniel Corte to Associate

Mez Joseph

Daniel Corte, AIA, Associate

Liollio is pleased to announce the elevation of Daniel Corte, AIA, to Associate. The Liollio team celebrates Dan’s accomplishment and looks forward to his continued leadership.

Dan joined the Liollio team in 2012 and serves as a Federal Market Champion. He continues to work in Liollio’s design studio on a variety of project types, including Federal, Community, and Healthcare. Some of Dan’s recent and award-winning projects include the Charleston International Airport Terminal Redevelopment, South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Hardeeville Welcome Center, USC−Beaufort’s Hilton Head Hospitality Management Campus, City of Charleston’s Bender Street Park Event Space and Community Center, and the National Park Service U.S. Virgin Islands Lind Point Complex.

In his downtime, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, honing his DIY skills in woodworking, and spending time out on the water.

Dinos Liollio Honored on 2021 Architects Power List

Mez Joseph

C. Dinos Liollio, FAIA, LEED AP, Principal

An Auburn University graduate, Dinos Liollio, FAIA, received a bachelor’s degree in architecture and a Bachelor of Science in environmental design. He served as president of the American Institute of Architects Student Chapter and was awarded the Alpha Rho Chi Medal of Honor in recognition of his leadership, service and future impact to the architectural profession.

Liollio has served on national, regional and state design award juries, led many community design charrettes, and has lectured on collaboration as the vehicle to realize remarkable buildings that inspire people to think of design as a collective body of work.

His leadership has been recognized by the South Carolina Chapter and Charleston Section AIA, Urban Land Institute, Furman University Riley Leadership Institute, city of Charleston, Rotary International, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Charleston National Aging in Place Council and others.

Based upon his preservation background, he was awarded a 2005 Study Abroad Scholarship in Verona, Italy, with 30 other architects from around the world focusing on the conservation of stone and marble. Liollio has received more than 120 international, national, regional, state and local design awards and was chosen to be a part of the design team for Fire Station 11 that’s contiguous to the Charleston 9 Memorial site.

He served on national, regional and state design award juries, lectured at national, state and local professional and trade conferences, and was keynote speaker at the National Architectural Precast Association Design Awards. He was elected to the AIA College of Fellows and was appointed to the city of Charleston Design Review Board in 2017. He received a National American Institute of Architects Design Award for Hampton County Health Clinic in 2020.

Liollio Honored with 2021 AIA South Atlantic Region Aspire Design Awards

Mez Joseph

The AIA South Atlantic Region has a long-standing tradition of recognizing a broad range of architecture activity that exemplifies the values of the region and improves the quality of the built environment in the communities we serve. The SAR Design Awards program - a regional design awards covering Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina - seeks to highlight the diverse range of project types that exist within the region.

The 2021 AIA SAR Awards were recently presented, awarding 24 projects after receiving 240 submissions. Four of the 24 were Honor Awards, of which Liollio was honored with two - one for South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism’s Fort Mill Welcome Center, and the other for Richland Library St. Andrews in Columbia SC. Liollio would like to thank the AIA SAR Awards committee and jurors. Liollio would also like to congratulate all award recipients, as well as their clients, Richland Library and SCPRT!

About ASPIRE: Created by the state AIA chapters of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the unconventional architecture conference influences artists, architects, designers, and engineers to design the future. Aspire debuted in 2019, transforming the beautiful and vibrant city of Asheville, North Carolina, into a nexus of architecture, design, and engineering. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aspire plans to return to Asheville NC in person in 2022. Learn more by visiting aspirexp.com

About AIA SAR: The American Institute of Architects South Atlantic Region is comprised of all of the Chapters in three states: Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and is home to more than 5,500 members. The AIA is the voice of the architectural profession and a resource for its members in service to society. We are dedicated to driving positive change in our communities through the power of design.

Click image above to view. the full awards ceremony or visit
https://youtu.be/Tt2G2Zf0q3o

Rick & Mary Lee Bastin Honored in Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for The Citadel's Bastin Hall

Mez Joseph

Bastin Hall, The Citadel's new school of business, was dedicated May 14. The design and construction was overseen by Liollio Architecture in association with ikon.5 architects. THS Constructors served as the general contractor for the project. Liollio is proud to have been part of this phenomenal and exciting project.

The new Bastin Hall building is a modern upgrade from the previous business school home. Originally constructed in 1922, Bond Hall has housed business school classrooms since the 1970s. “There’s a lot of state-of-the-art space here that we just didn’t have in our old building,” Dr. Michael Weeks, Dean said.

“I was a Mercedes dealer, and the CEO of Mercedes used to preach to us: ‘We need to amaze and delight our customers.’ Well, this building amazes and delights me, and it’s beyond my greatest dreams that it would come out this well,” said Rick Bastin, '65, joined by his wife Mary Lee, during a ceremony recognizing the couple’s efforts that made The Citadel's newest academic building a reality. READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.

Liollio Architecture Elevates 3 Team Members to Associate

Mez Joseph

2021_LIOLLIO_ASSOCIATES.jpg

Liollio Architecture is pleased to announce the elevation of Alison Dawson, Mez Joseph, and Aaron Bowman to Associate. The Liollio team celebrates this accomplishment and looks forward to their continued leadership.

Alison Dawson, AIA, joined the Liollio team in 2012. Alison knows that change is constant and takes pride in being part of the conversations and solutions required to meet the challenges of rapidly growing areas. Her work is rooted in thoughtful investigation and understanding of client and community needs. She brings her continued passion to the team as our Preservation Champion and is a leader in the design studio. Alison’s current projects focus on community design, adaptive reuse, rehabilitation, and preservation.

Mez Joseph joined the Liollio team in 2013 and contributes over 20 years of design and marketing experience. He’s an accomplished visual craftsman and brand-enabler, with great enthusiasm for art, design, illustration, photography, typography, and brand identity. His work at Liollio includes branding, print and web collateral, illustration, presentations, publications, and project graphic design, signage, and visual communications. Mez’s work as a graphic designer in the studio supports our clients in translating their vision into reality.

Aaron Bowman, AIA, joined the Liollio team in 2016 and is the founding Chair of AIA SC’s Resilience Committee. He currently serves on the Resilience & Adaptation Advisory Group for AIA National and the AIA SC Executive Board. Aaron serves as K12 Market Champion and his work at Liollio focuses on public architecture in communities across South Carolina and the southeast region. Aaron views each project as an opportunity to engage stakeholders in the process to create more socially, economically, and environmentally resilient places.

National Library Week 2021: Welcome to Your Library

Mez Joseph

Happy National Library Week 2021! Typically the second week of April (April 4 - 10, 2021) is a time to celebrate our nation's libraries, library workers' contributions and promote library use and support.  The theme for National Library Week 2021 is "Welcome to Your Library." 

During the pandemic, library workers continue to exceed their communities' demands and adapt resources and services to meet their users' needs during these challenging times. Whether people visit in person or virtually, libraries offer endless opportunities to transform lives through education and lifelong learning.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and observed in libraries across the country each April. All types of libraries - school, public, academic and special - participate.

View. Liollio’s recent Library work here.
Learn more about National Library Week and the American Library Association here.

Liollio Architecture’s Lance Eubanks Achieves Architectural Licensure

Mez Joseph

Lance Eubanks, AIA, LEED AP, Project Architect

Lance Eubanks, AIA, LEED AP, Project Architect

Liollio Architecture is pleased to congratulate Lance Eubanks, AIA, for earning his architectural licensure and becoming a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a professional organization for architects in the United States. A registered architect must complete an internship and pass a rigorous series of examinations offered by official architectural registration boards in the United States and Canada. The Liollio team celebrates Lance and his achievement.

A native of Mississippi, Lance completed his Bachelor of Architecture at Mississippi State University. Prior to joining Liollio, Lance worked as a Project Manager and Project Designer with ZGF Architects LLP in Washington DC, Sorg Architects in Washington DC, and as an Architectural Intern at Foil Wyatt Architects and Planners in Jackson, Mississippi. Lance has been a LEED Accredited Professional for more than 10 years, and his portfolio consists of Healthcare, Federal, Higher Education, Commercial, and Community projects. 

Liollio Architecture Awarded Two 2020 AIA South Carolina Design Awards

Mez Joseph

Thank you AIA South Carolina for honoring two of our projects: City of CharIeston & Roper St. Francis Healthcare's Louis Waring, Jr. Senior Center with an AIA SC New Construction Merit Award, and; SCPRT's South Carolina Welcome Center Replacement in Hardeeville SC with an AIA SC New Construction Citation Award! Congratulations to all of this year's award recipients and all the talented architects, designers, artists, and engineers!

Liollio Architecture Awarded 2020 AIA National Healthcare Design Award

Mez Joseph

Visit the AIA National Website: 2020 Healthcare Design Awards - Click Here.

Visit the AIA National Website: 2020 Healthcare Design Awards - Click Here.

Liollio Architecture is honored to announce that the American Institute of Architects has recognized Liollio’s design of the Hampton County Health Clinic in Varnville, SC with a 2020 AIA National Healthcare Design Award.

“This project brings dignity, hope, and joy to the community it supports.”
— Jury comment

This facility serving two rural South Carolina communities reflects the region’s faith in its future. The new facility, a joint venture between county and state agencies, replaced an outdated, 50-year-old structure. Given the site’s location in a former railroad town, simple materials and massing were employed to evoke the boxcars that used to roll through. Inside, patient care areas are divided between clinical care and care for women, infants, and children. Each features its own service corridor and waiting areas, all with ample natural light that enhances the environment for patients facing potentially difficult diagnoses. Privacy was a key factor in determining the program and organization of the clinic’s spaces. At the new facility’s ribbon cutting ceremony, the team noted a shift in perception and mood, confirming it had delivered a modest but noble clinic reflective of the community’s emboldened spirit.

“Functional and understated, it is a fantastic little jewel box made of simple forms and modest materials...It is wonderful to see such thoughtful care and attention given to a rural community health facility. It is a building they can take pride in.”
— Jury comment

Spotlight On: Cameron Foster

Mez Joseph

Liollio is pleased to welcome Cameron Foster, Associate AIA, to our design studio! A native of Richland WA, Cameron completed his Bachelor of Science in Architecture at Portland State University and his Master of Architecture at Clemson University. Prior to his academic career and joining the Liollio team, Cameron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2010. After allowing Cameron a bit of time to settle in, we sat down for a little Q&A with our newest Spotlight On feature.

How long have you lived in Charleston?
We moved here 2 years ago, but I have only physically been here for about a year because of school.

Where did you grow up?
The evergreen state of Washington; in a desert. Richland, WA to be exact.

Are you married? Children?
I have been married to my wife Kelty for 9 years in October, and we have 2 dogs that we treat like kids.

What is your favorite non-living thing in your home?
Nintendo 64

What do you like to do when you have free time?
Kelty and I love the beach or trying new places with food and drinks.

Do you have any pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
We have a 9-year-old fluffball by the name of Reggie. He can be identified as a Pekingese. We also have an 8-year-old ham with selective hearing named Penny who can be identified as an English Bulldog, or a pig. They’re awesome.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Making it 29 years.

What building have you visited that most impressed you?
Notre-Dame du Haut, a.k.a Ronchamp

What architect or architecture firm most influenced you as a student?
Olson Kundig is my favorite, I love the way they are able to use nature in design. But I went to Switzerland last year and find myself referencing back to Herzog De Meuron buildings a lot… so I guess it depends on the day for me.

What is your favorite place you have traveled to and why?
I would say either Okinawa, Japan or Chiang Mai, Thailand. Both places are full of friendly people. It’s all about the people. But Alaska is pretty neat as well.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
The studio culture is great, and everyone genuinely cares about the work each person is doing. I had the opportunity to learn from a few of the principals at the firm while studying at Clemson and it was evident from the beginning that collaboration is a key trait at Liollio, and that has only been made more clear since working here that some of our best work comes from discussion and contribution in the design of projects. And of course, the people are awesome, and you can tell that it is more than just a work relationship for everybody. We are able to have fun together at lunches, events, happy hours, etc. … When COVID-19 isn’t happening.

What inspires you most?
Knowing that one day I will have little mini-me’s that are going to look up to me.

What style of architecture most impresses you or is your favorite?
I am impressed by repurposed/restored architecture; the blending of historic and contemporary is pretty fascinating to me. It creates such unique places with so much character and gives such varied effects.

What is your favorite book?
You are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For by Don Yaeger and Kyle Carpenter

What is your favorite restaurant?
Chapala Express in Richland, WA

What’s your favorite place in Charleston?
Any of the beaches.

What is your favorite food?
Tacos and Enchiladas.

What is your least favorite food?
Cereal creeps me out.

If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?
I hate snakes, so I’d like to be a Mongoose or something cool like that who won’t take any bad business from snakes.

Do you play any instruments?
My Grandpa bought me a Harmonica when I was younger.

What song is at the top of your most played list?
I’m not sure but probably Rocketman or the Cops theme song Bad Boys.

Who is your favorite musical artist or genre?
I like a lot of different music ,but as of late, I find Tyler Childers to be the frequent.

Who is your favorite artist?
Claude Monet had a nice touch.

Favorite television show?
Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders or How I Met Your Mother.

Last book you read?
HOG’s in the Shadow by Milo S. Afong. If I am not studying, I typically read military books.

Do you have a favorite book or author?
Roald Dahl

Last movie you watched?
Django Unchained. Netflix has had me on a Quentin Tarantino binge as of late.

Favorite movie or genre?
Bad Boys II… I know every word.

Any random fact you could share with us?
The Earth is flat.

Are you messy or organized?
Not messy.

Do you have a favorite newspaper, blog or website?
ESPN is a good one.

Favorite quote?
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it – not sure of anybody specific saying it before, but I’d bet someone scholarly has said it.

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Ernest Hemingway

If your house was burning down, What is the one nonliving thing you would save?
Aside from my important personal identifying documents/records, my old alice pack with a bunch of my old sentimental stuff

Guilty pleasure?
Double Stuffed Oreos

What’s your astrological sign?
Cancer

What three traits define you?
Committed. Humble. Not normal but not weird.

What is your personal philosophy?
It’s better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
COVID-19 has made me realize that I really enjoy sports and social activities.

What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far? 
Well I guess I would have to go with a combat deployment to Afghanistan or winning an argument with my wife.

What is your greatest fear?
Spiders

What does true leadership mean to you? 
Working alongside rather than from ahead.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
A tuk tuk driver in Bangkok.

What would you most like to tell yourself at age 13?
Try everything.

How do you define success?
Being able to look back and have appreciation for the work you have done to get here; and enjoying yourself.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I don’t have pinky toenails.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Keep your head down.

Liollio Architecture Welcomes Cameron Foster 

Mez Joseph

Cameron Foster Associate AIA

Cameron Foster Associate AIA

Liollio Architecture is pleased to welcome Cameron Foster to its design studio. Originally from Richland WA, Cameron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2010. After his service in the military, he fulfilled his aspiration of studying architecture and went on to obtain his Bachelor of Science in Architecture at Portland State University and his Master of Architecture at Clemson University.

Cameron is passionate about community-based, sustainable, and innovative design and the influences of academia on architecture. He has a strong appreciation for architecture that is restored or re-used in order to facilitate progressive cultivation of community, while maintaining historic and cultural value. Upon joining the Liollio team, Cameron’s work has consisted of Community and Healthcare projects. Cameron enjoys the beach, traveling, sports, and spending time with his wife and dogs. The Liollio team celebrates Cameron’s achievements and welcomes him to its studio.

Spotlight On: Lance Eubanks

Mez Joseph

Liollio is pleased to welcome Lance Eubanks, Associate AIA, LEED AP, to our design studio! A native of Mississippi, Lance completed his Bachelor of Architecture at Mississippi State University. Prior to joining Liollio, Lance worked as a Project Manager and Project Architect with ZGF Architects in Washington DC. After giving Lance a bit of time to settle in, we sat down for a little Q&A with our newest Spotlight On feature.

How long have you lived in Charleston?
A little over two months.

Where did you grow up?
About five miles outside of Lucedale, Mississippi – a tiny town near the Gulf Coast.

Are you married? Children?
Not married, but I moved here with my partner, Justin.

What is your favorite nonliving thing in your home?
I have a cedar chest that was originally my Great Aunt’s dowry chest from around 1930. It somehow made its way to me. It’s moved with me everywhere I’ve been since college, and I would probably try to carry it out if my house caught on fire.

What do you like to do when you have free time?
Social distancing has taught me that I need more hobbies. I try to spend as much time outside as possible. Virtual game nights and cooking keep me going while I’m stuck in the house.

Do you have any pets? If so, tell us a bit about them.
We have a dog named Bee. She’s an eight year old Beagle mix, and she will literally never turn down an offer for someone to pet her. She’ll let you go for three hours straight if you’re up for it.

What architect or architecture firm most influenced you as a student?
I have always loved Tadao Ando’s work. What he does with natural light in his projects, in the simplest way possible, has always amazed me. 

What is your favorite place you have traveled to and why?
Florence, Italy has to be my favorite. Ankara, Turkey is probably the most interesting place I’ve been.

What is your favorite thing about working at Liollio?
When I was moving to Charleston and looking for a job, I read a few of the Spotlight On posts on the Liollio website. Everyone said that their favorite thing about working here is the people. Well, they were right. I have been blown away at how many awesome people I get to work with. 

What inspires you most?
People. All of them. Everyone has an interesting perspective to offer to the world.

What is your favorite restaurant?
So far, Leon’s on King Street is my favorite Charleston spot, but there are so many more places to try.

What’s your favorite place in Charleston?
The beach at Sullivan’s Island at sunset has been my happy place so far.

What is your favorite food?
I could eat seafood every day for the rest of my life. Let’s hope I don’t get mercury poisoning.

What is your least favorite food?
I’ll eat almost anything, but the sight of blue cheese is sickening to me.

Do you play any instruments?
I was in the band in high school, and I played the trombone. It’s been a really long time since I’ve played though.

Who or what is your favorite musical artist or genre?
So, I like a lot of musicians, but Dolly Parton definitely has the number one spot. She’s a great songwriter, and she has this warm and positive personality that is infectious.

Favorite television show?
Law & Order (original) is always on the DVR. The Sopranos was fantastic. Right now, we’re watching The Crown, Schitt’s Creek, and Grace and Frankie.

Last book you read?
Educated by Tara Westover.

Last movie you watched?
The Irishman

Favorite movie or genre?
The Godfather is a classic.

Are you messy or organized?
The kitchen is spotless. Sometimes the closet overflows.

Do you have a favorite newspaper, blog or website?
I love local news. I got a subscription to the Post and Courier before I moved here. I also really enjoy reading CityLab online.

If you could interview one person (dead or alive) who would it be?
Betty White

If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see?
The March on Washington in 1963 must have been a truly amazing sight.

What would the book or movie about your life be called?
Life of a Klutz: How to Get Back Up Again

What’s your astrological sign?
I’m a Capricorn. I don’t think it matters, but I’ll still read a horoscope every now and again.

What is your personal philosophy?
Treat others well.

What’s one thing you couldn’t live without?
My people. I’ve always thought this, but recent events have completely reinforced that for me.

What does true leadership mean to you? 
Empowering the people around you to be their best self and do their best at whatever they are doing.

If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
It’s a toss-up between a chef and a retirement home activity director.

How do you define success?
Being happy, healthy, and engaged.

2020 Liollio Team Oyster Roast

Mez Joseph

Thank you to Liollio’s Alison Dawson and her husband, Calvin, for hosting their annual oyster roast for our Liollio team and their families! Everyone had a wonderful time, as usual!